China is massive, it is a country that in many ways is just opening to the world and for a tourist, especially the more adventurous tourist this is a good and wonderful thing. China has new air routes and improved intercity rail links that are opening up the country more and more each day. But transport and technology aside, there is one thing that opens China more than anything else, and that is language.

Many people would be forgiven for believing that in China people speak Chinese but there are in fact 56 different Chinese Dialects broken down into their respective ethnic groups. According to Ethnologue there are 297 Living Chinese languages and this begins to demonstrate the vastness and diversity that make China what it is.

Mandarin Chinese is the most common language to learn and is broadly spoken on the Chinese mainland and on the mainland, once a grasp of the language is gained things really do open up. With 9.6 Million square kilometres to explore, China is vast, and getting off the beaten track, away from the pollution clogged cities, is what many adventurous tourists want to do. Urban sprawl has happened in China. Cities and industrial landscapes are as much a Chinese scene today as are the Bamboo and tea gardens one tends to imagine. Getting around the country, especially for those who cherish their independence, is challenging and thus language is important.

The growing airline network plays into the hands of tourists, and the number of domestic airlines in China has increased rapidly in the last few years as the country begins to expand its tourism reach. For Boeing, China has become big business. But again, travelling throughout China through the growing number of domestic airports is not easy without Chinese being spoken. Although there are a growing number of locals who speak a second language, most likely English, there is no guarantee that getting directions in your native language will be possible. China has opened up but it is still a challenge to find your around, especially in smaller towns.

Exploring the heritage of China, going beyond the Great Wall and Terracotta army is what many travellers want. The world has become smaller thanks to improved transport but still finding the unique parts, your own little piece of China if you like, is what travellers yearn for and being able to converse with the locals in their language creates this opportunity. Parking off in a small side street café with a cup of tea and chatting with locals gives a whole new perspective on China and its people, and by talking to locals, China expands as places to see and explore are unearthed through casual conversation.

China will get under your skin, the culture is diverse, the people have a unique take on life and the world beyond the Yellow River. This experience can only be truly appreciated and understood through language. A word or two helps but being able to converse makes things vastly better and friendships will be formed when in the past it was perhaps someone you saw in the distance or on a bicycle. If you want to explore China in its fullest, gain an understanding of the language and you will possess the keys to doors that few will dare to open.

If you don’t speak Chinese, it’s difficult to order food in China. That is understandable. Chances are that you have hardly touched what Chinese food is all about. With 1.4 billion people and being the fourth largest country in the world, it would take a lifetime to order all the different dishes China has to offer. What’s really magical about China is that every province has its own specialty which sometimes can’t be found anywhere else. The food you eat in Guangdong province will be vastly different from the food you’ll eat in Xinjiang province. It’s a suspicious claim to make when you’ve hardly discovered their food. It’s the most broad term. Not liking Chinese food is basically like saying you don’t like ANY vegetables or meat.

There’s a HUGE variety of dishes in China. Look at the menu in many of the restaurants and you’re handed a book of what they offer. The selection is more than you could possibly imagine in China. Spicy, sweet, buttery, cold, hot, crunchy, deep-fried, nutty, oily, peppery, rich, sour, toasted – you’ve got it all. The selection is so big that really Chinese food can fit anyone's tastes. Every time I handed the menu to a local, they took long to order because it was difficult to decide what to get because it was too much. It’s like someone saying “I don’t like Australian food.” It’s so general that it doesn’t make sense.

Although there is much debate and confusion over just how many styles there are, most would agree that there are at least four major regional styles: Cantonese, centred on the southern Guangdong province and Hong Kong; Sichuan, based on the cooking of this western province’s two largest cities, Chengdu and Chongqing; Huaiyang (also known as Jiangsu or simply Yang), the cooking of eastern China (Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai); and Beijing or ‘Northern’ food, which takes its inspiration from the coastal province of Shandong. Some would add a fifth cuisine from the south-eastern coastal province of Fujian.

Each of these styles have developed over time as a result of factors such as the geography, climate, history, lifestyle and cooking preferences of the region, and all have their own distinct flavour. What distinguishes them is not only their cooking methods, but particular combinations of ingredients. All regions use ginger, garlic, spring onions, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and sesame oil and bean paste, but combine them in highly distinctive ways, using a variety of different cooking techniques.

For example, Sichuan (also known as Szechuan or Szechwan) cuisine, is known for its bold, hot, pungent flavours, derived from the liberal use of garlic and chillies, whereas Jiangsu cuisine has a strong emphasis on matching ingredients according to season, colour and shape, and so-called ‘red braised’ dishes are popular (in which meat is braised in soy sauce, fermented bean paste and sugar to give it a caramelised flavour and reddish brown hue).

Rice is an essential part of any Chinese meal, no matter the region, and the Chinese table is always a shared one. A typical meal would combine several small dishes to be served at the same time and shared. Each dish should complement the other in terms of taste, texture, flavour and the overall visual effect. Tea is drunk before and after a meal, but rarely during.

No matter what Chinese culinary delights you have tasted in the past, know that there are so many more flavours to experience and you should aim to indulge yourself in them all.

References for this blog are Michael Tieso who is the Editor-in-chief of Art of Adventuring and some other information gathered from the sbs site.

At Chinese New Year, you will often hear the phrase "nián nián yŏu yú", meaning "may you have abundance every year". You will also see it written in Chinese calligraphy on scrolls which hang on walls and by doorways, accompanied by a picture of a golden carp. What is the connection? The word for "fish" is pronounced in the same way as the word for abundance: Both are yú. SO, if you were to hear someone say "nián nián yŏu yú", it could mean "May you have fish every year!!

For another example, wǒ xiǎng wèn nǐ, means I want to ask you - Simple enough. But, if you were to say wǒ xiǎng wěn nǐ, it would mean I want to kiss you! The only difference is the tone over the e in wen! That could be a bit scary LOL.

Altogether there are over 50,000 characters in Mandarin Chinese, however, a modern dictionary will only list about 20,000, and you only need to know approximately 2000 to be able to read a newspaper.

The history of Valentine’s Day and the story of its patron saint–is shrouded in mystery. We do know that February has long been celebrated as a month of romance, and that St. Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition.

Leaning to say I love you in another language can be an exciting experience, as it opens your mind to new adventures and possibilities. I have found a rendition of the story of Valentine's Day. Have a read and see whether you think this is it!

According to https://www.olrl.org/lives/valentine.shtml The story of Valentine's Day begins in the third century with an oppressive Roman emperor and a humble Christian Martyr. The emperor was Claudius II. The Christian was Valentinus.

Claudius had ordered all Romans to worship twelve gods, and had made it a crime punishable by death to associate with Christians. But Valentinus was dedicated to the ideals of Christ; not even the threat of death could keep him from practicing his beliefs. He was arrested and imprisoned.During the last weeks of Valentinus's life a remarkable thing happened. Seeing that he was a man of learning, the jailer asked whether his daughter, Julia, might be brought to Valentinus for lessons. She had been blind since birth. Julia was a pretty young girl with a quick mind. Valentinus read stories of Rome's history to her. He described the world of nature to her. He taught her arithmetic and told her about God. She saw the world through his eyes, trusted his wisdom, and found comfort in his quiet strength."Valentinus, does God really hear our prayers?" Julia asked one day."Yes, my child, He hears each one."

"Do you know what I pray for every morning and every night? I pray that I might see. I want so much to see everything you've told me about!""God does what is best for us if we will only believe in Him," Valentinus said."Oh, Valentinus, I do believe! I do!" She knelt and grasped his hand.They sat quietly together, each praying. Suddenly there was a brilliant light in the prison cell. Radiant, Julia screamed, "Valentinus, I can see! I can see!""Praise be to God!" Valentinus exclaimed, and he knelt in prayer.On the eve of his death Valentinus wrote a last note to Julia, urging her to stay close to God. He signed it, "From your Valentine." His sentence was carried out the next day, February 14, 270 A.D., near a gate that was later named Porta Valentini in his memory. He was buried at what is now the Church of Praxedes in Rome. It is said that Julia planted a pink-blossomed almond tree near his grave. Today, the almond tree remains a symbol of abiding love and friendship. On each February 14, Saint Valentine's Day, messages of affection, love, and devotion are exchanged around the world."

Would you move overseas for love? Moving overseas for love is a massive commitment, but it becomes very tempting when the unromantic Skype session and email just don't cut it. When you date someone, and you both have different passport countries, you must consider at some point that one of you will have to move to the others country if your relationship is to move forward. There are pros and cons about moving across the world for the one you love. ​

One of the pros of moving overseas for the one you love is that it is an adventure and you won't have regrets that you didn't at least try. You wouldn't want to miss the once in a lifetime opportunity to be with "the one" and if you actually make the sacrifice to move you will eliminate any regret. Don't they say that it is better to have love and lost than to never love at all?

One of the negatives of moving overseas to be with your loved one is that you will initially be totally dependant on your partner until you settle in and create your own niche. You will be unaccustomed to your surroundings, you wont see familiar faces, food can be different and you generally won't feel as comfortable. To eliminate some of this issue you could learn the language before you go?

Another bonus of moving overseas is that you get to experience a new country and culture and you can tick that off your bucket list. Sometimes though the feeling of not ever truly belonging may eventually get to you. You can learn a lot about yourself when you are completely out of your comfort zone and you will be amazed at how your relationship could bloom now that there is no more long distance. Alternatively you could freak out and think "what have I done?"

If you have learnt the language and culture before you go you may find that you have an increased access to job opportunities as obviously the language barrier would prevent you from getting a job other than maybe teaching English (which you may enjoy).

Happy endings are never assured in any relationship, but if you can look back on your life with no regrets, then you have succeeded. Is it worth moving overseas for love? Only you can be the judge of that.